The main requirement is that your browser must be Java enabled.If you can see the information telling the amount of players connected to the game zone from any page at Ludoteka, your browser is Java enabled.That information is located over the Play link in the center of the home page, and in the right upper corner of the remaining pages (including this one).

There are two options to enable Java software in browsers:

The option that we recommend is to use the Sun Java software. Sun is the company who created and develops Java technology.If you don´t use Internet Explorer, this is the only option available.

Internet Explorer can use the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine component. Some versions of the Windows operating system include this component, but this is not frequent in the more recent versions..

2. Is the Sun Java software installed in my computer?

You have several options to check if Sun Java software is already installed in your computer:

If you are using some of the Windows operating systems, just go to the control panel and watch if it is the Java Plug-in option, identified with the Java logo icon ( ).

If the browser you are using has the Java Plug-in activated, you must be able to see the same icon in the operating system toolbar (usually placed on the bottom-right corner of the screen).

If you want to make sure that you use Sun Java software, just read how to install.

3. How may be installed the Sun Java software?

The Sun company develops the Java language; the software may be installed from its web site in any computer. Before installing, you have to take into account:

It is very easy to install; you just have to get into the corresponding web page to start the process.

The installation process will detect if it is necessary to make the complete download or if some components must be updated; if your computer has already the last version, the process will finish inmediately.

The problem is that the installation process may last long if your connection is slow, since the complete download exceeds 15MB

Besides the installation, the use of the Java Plug-in must be enabled for the browser. Usually this is done during the installation, but you always can take the control in this way:

Using Windows operating systems, access to Control panel/Java Plug-in/Browsers. You will see one list with the available browsers; you only have to put or remove the mark in the corresponding box.

With Netscape and Mozilla browsers, go to Edit/Preferences/Advanced; there is a box to enable Java that must be marked.

The change will have an effect after all the browser windows are closed and the browser is restarted.

5. Must be accepted the handling of cookies in my browser to use Ludoteka.com?

Yes. The use of cookies must be allowed to identify the player.

The use of cookies is a privacy option that may be adjusted in browsers and use to be enabled by default.

Besides, javascript command execution must be allowed. This option use to be also enabled by default in browsers.

6. Any specific program has to be installed to play at Ludoteka.com?

No. There is no need to install in your computer any program produced by Ludoteka.com. The elements required to access to the game zone (images, java applet, ...) are downloaded as any other element, and simply remain as browser temporary Internet files, which is very helpful to speed up subsequently accesses.

7. Why sometimes the access to the game zone is very slow?

Whenever any change is made in the applet that gives access to the game zone, the browser downloads the renewed elements; since some of these elements are large enough, you could notice that the loading delays more than usual.

8. Why the connection is lost, it freezes, ...?

When the connection to the game zone is established, your browser must exchange data continuously with Ludoteka server, even if the exchanged data amount is small.Java software and the game zone program also need enough resources to run properly.Under certain conditions those kind of problems tend to happen more often:

Your connection is really suddenly delayed.

You are downloading some other information while playing in Ludoteka.

The programs running in your computer use a lot of memory or processor resources.

The game zone window is opened for a long time.

If the problem appears very frequently, it could be related with the software installed in your computer; for example, it happens frequently with firewalls, antivirus, pup-up blockers, ...

If you detect that the game zone is not running properly, take into account that some kind of tasks require more resources and imply more risk:

Opening simultaneously several games to play or watch.

Changing the size of the game zone window.

Finally, Ludoteka server could have any problem with the software or connection to the Internet. If it happens, all or most of the users may notice the problem. Anyway, this is not very frequent, and most of the disconnections are related with client side (user connections and computers).

9. Could my computer become infected with any virus through Ludoteka.com?

No. The Ludoteka.com web page only contains text, images, scripts and Java applets; these elements do not imply any risk of becoming infected with viruses.Since Java applets run under the supervision of the web browser and haven´t any access to the resources of the operating system, they can´t cause any damage to the computer.

On the other hand, the advertising is only included through reputable online marketing companies.

10. New games will be added at Ludoteka.com? What kind of games?

Yes. Our intention is to offer an high amount of different games. By now we have done board and Spanish card games; new kind of games will be offered, but always according to the same criteria.

The criteria used to select the games that will be added are the following:

Strategy and wits: players must show their skill using those qualities. Games where chance is too important are not taken into account.

Historical and cultural value.

Popularity: our aim is not to invent new games, but offer a tool to show and practise known games.

The ease to play through the Internet: some interesting games require players to be joined in the same place. We must see always the option to do it interesting playing through the Internet.

Ease to be learnt.

Proposals made by users.

Our own tastes and opinions.

11. Is it possible to cheat through the private chat?

When using private chats the system checks if both players form a pair in any card game (tute or mus) before sending any message. The same checking is made in any other games where both players may join.If both players join in the same chat room, the opponents are informed about it.

12. How is the dice thrown and the cards shuffled?

All the random events that occur during the games (the dice throws and the process of shuffling the cards or mixing the domino pieces), are performed using a random number generator. The distribution of the numbers it is absolutely random, unpredictable and independent of the state of the game and the players taking part. There is no option to perform any manipulation.

13. Why it becomes more and more dificult to improve the score?

The rating system, as explained in rating.html, has been built to give good information about the skill level of players. You have to take int account:

Your score increases more when you win against players with higher scores, and it will be more reduced when you lose against players with lower scores. So, normally the score increases quicky during the first games, but it becomes more and more dificult when the level is high.

Players with high scores tend to be good players, specially because rated games are only available to players who pay for using Ludoteka and they usually are very competitive and play seriously. Obviously, playing against good players the chances to win are lower than playing against inexperienced players.

15. Any other question?

If the given information does not resolve some of your questions, don´t hesitate to ask using the contact option